Raise Thy Sword
by Fency
Summary: Raphael Sorel takes Soul Edge forcefully from Nightmare...and what happens? Reality becomes dreams, and dreams become reality...(completed)
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer-I don't own anything Soul Calibur, as much as I want to. So don't sue me.  
  
Chapter 1  
  
-The Trail of Blood-  
  
"Hahaha! So another foolish warrior comes challenge me again?" the eerie voice seemed to echo throughout the dilapidated castle. There was a metallic sound, as armour moved due to a shift of weight.  
Nightmare was indeed a sight to behold. A vibrant blue shine emanated from his armour, which was fit tightly around his anatomy. Every move he made had a metallic chinking noise. The mutation of his right arm had started at the fingertips, now claws, then to his hands, a murky brown, and then all the way up to his shoulder. One could almost swear his arm was pulsating with a hunger, a hunger for blood. To claw off someone's head and leave a trail of blood. His chest held a breastplate, which an eye engraved with astonishing likeness. His other arm was encased in armour, and in the gauntleted hand there stood Soul Edge, leering at the opponent evilly, the hilt alone reaching Nightmare's eyes. Nightmare's eyes glowed a scarlet red. The helmet seemed to be a feeble effort to conceal the obvious flood of evil teeming from the eyes, filling even the castle with trepidation. Two "horns" extended through the helmet, a seeming flourish to intimidate enemies. Soul Edge's eye blinked sadistically, the veins along the still-growing blade palpitating erratically at the excitement for blood. A Nightmare to strike fear, to chill blood, to destroy life.  
Raphael Sorel was not one to be easily intimidated though. He was stretched to his full 5"10 frame as he surveyed the one standing between him and Soul Edge. "You're...quite...the rude one," he said, sweeping his rapier in a fine arc.  
"Offer your soul!" screeched Nightmare in a fearsome voice as he charged forward, Soul Edge now suffused in an eerie red light from its branches of veins. The blade dropped like a stone on the ground, tearing fierce scrapes across the polished floor.  
"Looking for something?" Raphael was just beside him, sword raised up to his chest. He stabbed forward furiously, and Nightmare was thrown backwards. Raphael raced forward, eager to press his advantage, but Nightmare was up in a flash to break Raphael's guard. The French fencer stumbled backward, catching himself in time to dodge a swipe from Nightmare' mutated arm.  
The abomination swung his gargantuan blade sideways, missing Raphael's neck by a hair, before Nightmare doubled the blade back with twice the momentum, and caught Raphael straight in the stomach with the flat side. All the wind was knocked out of the Frenchman as Nightmare catapulted him to the far end of the castle floor. Raphael skidded across and ended up just an inch away from the edge. It was a long drop from there.  
Nightmare rammed his blade down with a crushing vertical swipe, but Raphael somehow managed to deflect the attack with his rapier, but the sheer force of the blow propelled his sword downwards. A loud clatter told Raphael of his imminent demise.  
Raphael sucked in his breath sharply as he evaded a low sweep by leaping up and landing a boot to his opponent's face. Nightmare was seemingly unaffected and launched himself shoulder-first into Raphael. Raphael considered himself lucky that he hadn't been cleaved into two. As he dropped down, he managed to grab a ledge. There he hung, suspended by an arm. Quickly, he summoned up his strength and leapt onto the safety of the ledge and almost shouted at his luck. Flambert, his rapier, was lying in a crack on the ledge  
He grabbed it by the hilt and felt faith surging through him again. Raphael made a leap of faith, literally, as he propelled himself towards a handhold. Luckily, it held firm even though a few crumbs of stone fell. The Frenchman pulled a leg onto a smashed window and steadied himself, before stretching a leg to its fullest to reach three crumbling steps leading to the platform where he had been fighting Nightmare. Raphael hurriedly hauled himself up before the stairs broke into wispy pieces of dust.  
Nightmare was exposed, so horribly exposed at he turned to gloat, his back to Raphael. The Frenchman took no time, no time at all, to rush forward and thrust his rapier through the nightmare's throat, and watched the foul blood squirting out the neck. Maybe he would survive. Maybe not. The sound of Nightmare's body crumpling in a heap on the ground snapped him awake. Raphael reached for Soul Edge...... 


	2. Blazing Inferno

Chapter 2  
  
His gloved hands prised Nightmare's cold fingers away from the hilt, and Raphael Sorel held the much-coveted sword aloft, feeling the power gushing down full-speed and thickly into him. He felt the dark murky energies stirring up within him, and began to attempt controlling it.  
Suddenly a streak of fire blazed across his eyes, and the temperature rose quickly. The Frenchman scrutinized his surroundings and noticed he was no longer in Nightmare's castle, but in an arena of a scintillating array of flames. And amidst the flames a tall, blazing inferno stood humanoid and fully formed. The pungent smell of flames and the noxious smoke was pungently overpowering Raphael's nostrils. He drew strength from Flambert and noticed Soul Edge was gone. He knew immediately what this was. He was speaking to Soul Edge itself.  
"So this is the origin of the evil sword. How entertaining!" Raphael twirled his sword in eager anticipation of the upcoming battle. Inferno was silent as he brought a rapier forward, an exact replica of Raphael's weapon.  
"Prepare yourself!" Raphael surged forward in an array of confidence, seething with power. He brandished his weapon brutally, delivering scorching hits as Inferno fell back. Raphael crushed Inferno to the floor with immaculate ease, mocking it as he cut arcs across the air with his rapier. Inferno rose up, levitating as there was another incendiary explosion of flames, spinning up into the air like fireflies.  
A katana now was in the flaming skeleton's hand, and Inferno lunged forward with a vengeance. Raphael moved in, before performing a tricky retreat step, evading the wild swipe of the katana. Linking a spinning kick to his retreat step, Raphael launched Inferno back, before the fiery beast struck at Raphael's shoulder, drawing blood. The fencer, undaunted, fell Inferno with a tarantellal tap kick, and stabbed Flambert into its throat. It squirmed in pain and howled in anguish, before rising up again.  
  
Raphael barely eluded the incoming rod before the two were forced into the exhilarating rush of battle again. Inferno now brandished a rod, sweeping the floor with it and tearing the air. Raphael managed to hop over the low attack, but Inferno suddenly hit upwards with a kick, grabbing his rod for greater effect. The fencer fell over backwards, rolling to the side as a rod thwacked the ground where he had been moments ago. Raphael suddenly shot towards Inferno and struck the rod away full-force. Inferno kneeled down, before lifting into the air again...  
Raphael heard the metal whip as it arrived, and even so he managed to get a long cut down the side of his face, and suddenly it was coiled around his foot, dragging him down. The Frenchman sliced at the whip, deflecting it momentarily as he arrowed his chest horizontally, the blades of the whip missing him by inches. The whip suddenly grasped his rapier and tore it out of his grasp. Inferno smiled that gruesome smile before Raphael tackled his legs full-force, the rapier spinning wildly. Raphael grabbed it, before the whip opened up one of his gloves and blood dripped.  
Gathering centrifugal force, Raphael spun on his toes before delivering the perfect kick, launching Inferno up. He saw another opportunity, and the fencer leapt up, making a mid-air pirouette before slamming his rapier through Inferno.  
Inferno rose up again, before flames shot out of it in all directions. Inferno seemed to lapse into an epileptic fit, spasms rocking his body as he clawed his face.  
When it was over, Raphael clutched Soul Edge firmly, now a rapier, in his hand. He nursed his bloody shoulder and made his way down the castle, preparing to leave Germany. 


	3. Memories

An insane power surged through him, forming a rhythm with his heartbeat. Soul Edge seemed to have a life of its own. It crackled with vibrant electricity, tendrils of crimson entwining with a razor-sharp rapier blade. A minuscule eye blinked intermittently on the rapier blade, and seemed to stare malevolently at everyone. For a split-second, Raphael thought it was a terribly revolting artifact and wondered if it was worth it. And the eye swiveled...to see him in the eye.  
Wild images soared through Raphael's mind, each swirling around each in a mass of colour, tearing up the other memories and replacing them, to blur into an impregnable blaze. Flames lit up the dark caverns of the memories, the tongues of fire licking the images as they lit up, revealing so much more...  
  
He was an undead pirate now; nothing much mattered but the fact that he kept Soul Edge for all eternity. He was one with the blade, and the glorious rush of power. Cervantes adjusted his hat as he reminisced about his father's strong arms around him in a hug. Snarling, he tried to push that aside and instead thought of the massive destruction soon to unfold.  
"Fire, men!" he yelled in that screeching, eerie voice of his, and the cannon's blasted a terrible volley towards the town. He laughed evilly, the vile cackle ringing in his pirate crew's ears. What was left resembled an incendiary skeleton, torched, charred, and utterly blackened. An acrid smoke wafted along, mingling with the sea air as Cervantes inhaled it delightfully. "Yes...wonderful." To celebrate, he drove his sword into one of his crew, sucking out the soul and leaving a shriveled mass.  
  
He chortled at what he believed to be a weak opponent, a Greek woman with a sword and shield. Her long blond hair glowed like streaks of gold, a blaze of fire. "Well she certainly will be a blaze of fire when I'm done with her." Cervantes thought, an icy smile spreading across his face as he brandished Soul Edge...  
It happened very suddenly, he felt the holy blade pierce his stomach, lifting him off the ground as the blade slid in deeper still before it was wrenched out with a squelch. Blood flowed freely down the sword, gruesome blood which reeked. Sophitia grimaced and lifted the blood-drenched sword for the last time, before it whistled through the air and the entire blade exploded, shattering into a thousand minute pieces.  
  
Raphael felt the pain, an explosion of fury and flame, which blossomed into a fiery firework, the shards flying. It was excruciating, being mutilated and dismembered. The shards flew over the lands, settling in places far from each other. And yet...there was more...  
  
Siegfried glowed with triumph, the kind that only comes from being victorious. Laughing in pride, he lifted the head up for the entire brigand to see. His father would have been proud. But an unspeakable horror overcame him and flowed into his icy veins as realization hit home: the head was his father's. He envisioned himself again, whipping the blade across the neck with accurate precision, and the head flew off.  
  
Raphael was on the wooden floorboards of the ship, sweat surging downwards in torrents and waves. He didn't want to know what happened next. He covered his ears as Soul Edge opened itself up to him again. With a lightning-quick snap-kick, Raphael Sorel sent the rapier skittering across the floor as he sank into his chair, panting and staring at Soul Edge with something, not unlike trepidation, upon his face. 


	4. Entwining destinies

Thanks for all the reviews, guys! I did a bit of original work on fictionpress.com, it's crap, but still you can go read it if you want.  
  
Chapter 4  
  
Did the eye just blink? Raphael shuddered at all the hideous memories and pain that had torn into his soul. He held Flambert loosely in his hand, staring blankly into space. He couldn't help but feel that Flambert seemed so...weak and metallic, compared to the lively, electrifying blade that was Soul Edge. He vowed not to be controlled by Soul Edge. All it had taken was a glimpse of memory that he-NO! He couldn't relive Siegfried's memories, no...not now...  
  
The shard spoke to Siegfried. If he could find Soul Edge and take it, the power of the sword would revive his father. His guilt would dissipate, and his sins would be cleansed. Over the years while he sought Soul Edge, he did not realize his mind was slowly deteriorating, and soon he believed in the shadow of his past, that someone else, a masked assassin, had murdered his father. It wasn't him, it was someone else. Now he had a new purpose. Soul Edge told him to use itself against the killer.  
It was years before he found it. His power seemed to increase ten- fold with the Sword of Salvation. He asked it again, how to resurrect his father. Soul Edge spoke to him, in a voice seemingly layered with truth. He needed to feed the blade with Souls. Siegfried became Nightmare, and went on a killing spree. After three years of bloodshed the Sword was teeming with life and power...but as if to answer the raging call of Soul Edge, Soul Calibur arrived. And the warrior, Xianghua had defeated him.  
Somehow, after collapsing into the void, Siegfried survived, and awoke with the terrible memories staining his conscience. He strived to avoid other humans, but while he slept, at his most vulnerable moment, Soul Edge took over him again. And again, he became Nightmare.  
  
Raphael stood resolutely, combating the power that was Soul Edge. The next memories would be his, and he didn't want to relive those dreadful moments again. Somehow, drawing strength from every reserve of his body, he formed a thin shred of protection against Soul Edge. But the power! The power that emanated from every nerve when he had Soul Edge! It was unspeakable, it was overwhelming.  
He shook his head, all he wanted was Amy having a bright new future, to destroy every last root of the Sorels and the foul, vile "nobles". He snorted. As he fell into a fitful slumber, a blue blade which radiated purity filled his mind. It was an awesome presence, and then he saw the woman wielding it. Danger suffused his mind in an angry red cloud. He knew what was about to happen.  
A hundred feet away, another ship swiftly approached his ship. 


	5. Bluered blood

I'll make this one good and long.  
  
Chapter 4  
  
"Captain! Another ship is approaching us!" the sailor lofted in the crow's nest shouted below. "They've been following us for a few hundred feet already!"  
"What kind of ship?" the captain asked in a quaking voice.  
"Well blimey, it looks like a...a Chinese junk!" came the reply. "Could be pirates! I see a glint of a sword there!"  
The captain acted immediately, summoning all the trained deckhands to grab their cutlasses and prepare for an assault. As theirs was a small passenger ship, no cannons or any other defence was available. Suddenly, the Chinese junk drew closer till it nudged the German ship from Ostrheinsburg, but only one woman leapt off, clutching a blue blade with a split down the middle. The deckhands shouted out questions, but she only said in relatively fluent English to let her see Raphael Sorel. She told them it was important. The captain was at first relieved that there were no pirates, and after a moment, he allowed her to go see Raphael Sorel (One of his deckhands had a basic grasp of English).  
  
Raphael held Soul Edge in his gauntleted hand, enjoying the power which flowed freely through his veins. He imagined the nobles fighting over the sword, until every single one of them was dead, just like the Evil Seed. And he would be the cause. Plus, Amy would have a meaningful future. He laughed cruelly, already contemplating the next move. Suddenly, he heard a key turn in his keyhole, and the clinging of the key falling. Soul Edge was in his hand, poised perfectly in a battle-ready stance, as Xianghua entered. Raphael could have sworn the blade he held quavered in fear upon the Eye seeing the blue blade. Soul Calibur, Soul Edge told him.  
Raphael could not fathom why Soul Calibur was here again, as in Soul Edge's accumulated memories the sword had perished in the void. Just then, Xianghua tried to beseech him to cast aside Soul Edge, and let her destroy it. Raphael, adequately versed in English as well, adamantly refused.  
"I need Soul Edge. To give a better future to Amy!" he shouted like a man possessed, then rushed forward, Soul Edge out in a fluid thrusting motion. Xianghua drew the gleaming blue blade and parried his stab, before sliding a foot under his leg, in hopes of knocking him over. Raphael hopped over the outstretched leg and swung his sword, but Xianghua ducked and lifted her legs over her shoulder, striking Raphael in the face. He stumbled backwards, blood spotting the ground, as Xianghua said, "Please, let me destroy it! I don't want to hurt you!"  
Raphael snarled and wiped his face, before Xianghua pirouetted gracefully in mid-air to land a crushing strike on his shoulder. Raphael growled in rage before sweeping his rapier in a wide arc, knocking Xianghua backwards. The Chinese woman immediately lunged forward again, his sword whirling. Raphael was almost relaxed, his feet subconsciously moving into his attacking stance, and they almost seemed to dance. He thrust forward suddenly, and the blade nicked Xianghua's cheek. She kicked out, but Raphael had lapsed into a retreat step and had already linked it up with a tarantellal tap kick. Xianghua got hit in the stomach, and she tumbled over, the wind knocked out of her. As she recovered, Raphael had already somersaulted into the air, his weapon swinging in gargantuan arcs as his blade landed heavily on Soul Calibur. Xianghua felt the sting of the blow, and just managed to clutch Soul Calibur. With a sudden upwards swing, she knocked Raphael, flailing wildly, into the air as he collapsed with a thump. Xianghua moved closer to press her advantage but with a yell, Raphael tore forwards, his feet eating up the space between them as the blade connected again.  
The sailors above were oblivious to the intermittent connections of swords, and were only concerned with the sight of Rouen's harbour.  
"Land ahoy!" screeched the sailor, holding a telescope. Everyone clapped and cheered.  
Below, Raphael also heard it. With an ominous grin on his face, he stepped back and out of the room, before rushing to the deck. Xianghua was surprised and tried to follow, but when she reached the upper deck she saw a harbour not far away, bustling with people and worse, Raphael was standing on the ship's railing. With a deft flick of his rapier, he cut the ropes holding one lifeboat except one, and leapt down. With another quick slice, he disengaged the boat before throwing up a few coins and shouting, "Au revoir!" to the stunned Xianghua. She had failed, while Raphael paddled furiously to his homeland.  
  
Stay tuned for the next chapter! 


	6. Crushed hopes

Chapter 6  
  
Raphael laughed to himself quietly as he imagined the Chinese woman stranded on a country she knew nothing about. Perhaps she would track him down, but...he would deal with her as she came. Raphael stepped onto the familiar cobbled streets of Rouen, déjà vu evident in every nook and cranny.  
The Frenchman hailed a hansom, desperate to get back to his New Sorel Mansion to meet Amy and show her Soul Edge. Along the bumpy ride home, rain started to pelt down on the hansom, but Raphael was clean and dry. He looked indifferently outside the glass windows of the grand vehicle, seeing the sky turn an ominous grey. Rain was falling freely, now a rhythmic pattern upon the ground. The driver was getting soaked, so he pulled a coat over himself and continued riding, the clip-clopping of the three horses in front blending perfectly with the rain.  
The ride was about fifteen minutes, when the driver reined in his horses and stopped, the horses pawing absentmindedly at the ground. Raphael disembarked smoothly from the hansom, getting under the shelter of his front porch, before handing the driver a handful of gold and silver coins, before telling him quietly to keep the change. The driver thanked him and went off into the torrents of rain, seeking other customers.  
Raphael wiped some rainwater off his sleeve, before easing open his mansion door. Immediately, he felt something amiss. He felt it in his bones. One word flashed into his mind. Death. The scent of death permeated throughout the entire mansion.  
"Veronique?" he called out for his servant, feeling dread cluster up in his chest. There was no answer. Raphael stumbled forward blindly, in the almost complete darkness. He lit a lamp and started moving through the New Sorel Mansion. For once, he wished it was not as big as it was. As his hand rested on the grand staircase banister, his foot suddenly touched something. Raphael looked down, horror contorting his face. "No..."he mumbled as he shone the lamp's dim light upon the corpse. It was Veronique.  
Raphael did not care about anything else just then, as he tossed the lamp violently down the staircase before dashing up, taking the stairs five at a time. "Amy! Amy! AMY!" he shouted out all the way, each time a knot of fear tightening in his stomach. "Please oh please..."he murmured as his hand rested, hesitantly on Amy's room's doorknob. Fear swelling up in his throat, he pushed the door open, and a man turned to meet him. Raphael stiffened as he saw Amy flailing, thrashing to get free from the two men holding her, one with a dagger in hand.  
"Emmanuel de Provins!" Raphael seemed to grind the name into his teeth. The most feared assassin in the French underworld.  
"Ah yes...Monsieur Sorel...well you should know that the nobles have...shall we say...enlisted my services to deal with you, and your clan. A piteous clan, isn't it? A servant, a child, and a pathetic weakling of a man." Emmanuel bared his yellow teeth, and said, "Kill her. I've always wanted to take on a worthy opponent."  
One of the men brought up the dagger, and slit Amy's throat, just as the word "DADDY!" escaped her lips. Blood splattered the polished wooden floors, as the man dropped Amy on the floor, when the dead body crumpled in a heap. For Raphael, it was like an explosion in his heart, an explosion of incandescent rage and pain. He grieved then, and the rage took hold, tearing his heartstrings as he pulled out Soul Edge.  
"Ah ha," cried Emmanuel, drawing a cutlass, before sending his lackeys forward. Raphael swept his rapier low, saying in a voice with barely suppressed rage. "You're...quite...the rude one." The first man lunged forward with a sword. Raphael parried the blow and lashed a brutal foot into his face, breaking the jaw and sending splinters of bone flying. The other lackey hesitated, and it was all Raphael needed to impale him with the rapier. Raphael brutally lifted the lackey, still impaled on the blade and surprisingly alive. The blade slid deeper, aided by gravity, as the lackey howled in pain and struggled to get off. Raphael lifted him higher, letting him die by his own weight. When he stopped flailing, Raphael dropped him and slashed violently across the man with the broken jaw. He was immediately silenced, and Raphael was immersed in a pool of blood. "Now it's your turn!" Raphael cried out, his rapier pointing stoutly at Emmanuel. "En garde!" he yelled before the both of them hurtled towards each other, swords drawn. 


	7. Sweet sorrow

Chapter 7  
  
Raphael stared Emmanuel coldly in the eye, hatred evident in every nerve. His vision was cloaked by an angry red cloak, as he readied himself in an attacking stance. "Well then, let us dance..." Raphael purposely drawled the last word, before lunging at Emmanuel, his rapier going narrowly wide of the assassin's windpipe. Emmanuel sucked in his breath sharply, before dealing a quick, lithe swipe at Raphael. The Frenchman swept his rapier in wide arcs, the sword slashing from everywhere to deliver scorching hits. He was fighting better than ever before. "For you, Amy..."he murmured to himself, before tearing through the air with another violent slash. Emmanuel rolled onto an ornately carved table to avoid a low kick from his assailant, before Raphael split the table cleanly, sawdust fogging the air for a moment. Raphael coughed, and the sneaky assassin in front of him took the advantage to land a punishing strike which Raphael barely parried.  
Soul Edge seemed to twitch incessantly in his hand, sending streaks of power surging up his arm, the sheer power and strength sending his arm tingling. Emmanuel stopped, hesitant, almost transfixed by the blade in Raphael's hand. Raphael swept his sword low, his hair sweeping over his eyes for a second, before lifting his head. His eyes caught Emmanuel's. Emmanuel could not prevent a startled gasp, for Raphael's eyes were now pure scarlet, as if an intense conflagration burned steadily inside. His eyes blinked simultaneously with the eye on the sword, and Emmanuel could swear all three could see through him.  
With an almost inhuman shout, Raphael surged forward in a wealth of utmost power. His sword was a twirling, deadly mass which swished through the air with accurate precision. Every strike landed on Emmanuel, not matter how he blocked or parried. Blood flew freely, splashing through the air as if it were rain.  
At the end, Raphael was pointing Soul Edge at Emmanuel, his other hand cupping his face nonchalantly, as if it were a piece of cake. The assassin's cutlass lay on the floor, the sound of Emmanuel being disarmed still reverberating throughout the room.  
"You're not even worth killing," Raphael spat, as Emmanuel stammered, "You wouldn't harm an unarmed man would you?"  
"Even beasts are better than you! This from someone who killed an innocent child!" Raphael roared, the flecks of spit showering Emmanuel's already bloodstained face. Raphael brought a blood-drenched foot into Emmanuel's crotch, and the French assassin doubled over, howling in intense pain, before Raphael stabbed the tip of Soul Edge into Emmanuel windpipe. He pulled it out, twisting violently as he did so, to intensify the pain. Emmanuel screamed as blood squirted out from irregular intervals. He grasped his throat, struggling to breathe. Just as he was about to asphyxiate to death, Raphael swung a leg right into his cowering mass, blasting the piteous figure out of the glass window, where he hung suspended, before falling with glass pieces tearing up his body further. Raphael smiled icily as he knew Emmanuel was not dead until he hit the ground. A dull thud brought Raphael back to his senses. He looked down, and saw a pool of blood. Raphael heard footsteps from away, very, very faint. Without hesitating, he turned and picked up Amy, wiping the blood off her throat with his sleeve.  
  
He had engraved the words on a stone with Soul Edge sharp enough to tear through the tough material.  
  
Here lies Amy Sorel, beloved daughter of Raphael Sorel  
God bless her and allow her to rest in peace.  
  
It was a simple enough message, but Raphael's heart and soul ached as he wrote it. He smoothed Amy's hair for the last time before planting a sweet kiss upon her cheek. "I love you," he said to Amy. Oh, how much bitter sorrow, how many sweet memories were present in that three words. All the agony and pain and memories filled up that sentence as Raphael's tears dropped quickly. He buried Amy under a pretty apple tree, her favourite fruit, as he went off, tears flooding his vision, towards the first of the noblemen's houses.  
"Donovan le Brun. You will pay." 


	8. The roots of insanityWARNING:Bloody

-----CAUTION------ It gets a bit bloody here at this chapter.  
  
Chapter 8  
  
Raphael Sorel simply marched up to his front doorstep, disregarding the two guards standing stiffly there.  
"Hey, who are you?" snarled one.  
"Have you no manners?" Raphael growled back. Raphael drew his deadly rapier. It was over in a few seconds, blood darkening the polished front porch and two corpses slumping to the ground. Raphael grabbed one by the collar and used his shirt to polish his blade.  
Raphael took a running start, before leaping towards the door. He swung a foot brutally, and the door caved in, splinters sticking out. Raphael thrust forward with Soul Edge, and the door shattered into thousands of minuscule pieces. Raphael grinned at his own prowess, before stepping through the door, twirling his weapon absentmindedly. "Dear Donovan, come out and play..."he drawled, in an almost bored manner.  
Donovan suddenly appeared, flanked by four guards. "I've been expecting you." he spat, before sending two of his lackeys forward. Raphael tore forward in a rage, whipping his rapier across the throats of the two men before they could even react, and charged after Donovan le Brun. With a gasp, the noble turned to run, shocked by the sudden turn of the tables. He expected Raphael to have more problems dealing with his guards. One of his lackeys stuck out a foot, tripping Raphael, but with the grace of a swan, Raphael's exceptional footwork brought him up in a fluid motion and he continued chasing. "Don't think you can flee!" he shouted after Donovan.  
The other guard flung his own sword towards Raphael, but Raphael superbly timed his catch so he caught the handle. "Thank you," he yelled over his shoulder. As Donovan continued running down the street, Raphael aimed, and flung the sword towards his target. There was a scream, and the sound of a body hitting the ground. But he was not dead yet.  
As Raphael slowly advanced to prolong Donovan's agony, the guard chasing him attempted flying kick, but Raphael twisted his body in midair to dodge the maneuver. The guard was unarmed, but he readied himself bravely for the onslaught.  
"You are not enough to stop me, but I won't fight an unarmed man." Raphael spoke quietly, before tossing Flambert over. The guard caught it, but after a few deft strokes, had collapsed, blood spurting awkwardly from several wounds. Raphael stooped low to pick up Flambert, before he pulled Donovan's head up with his hair, then using Flambert to prop his chin up, so he looked directly at Raphael.  
"How do you wish to die? Your head caving in? Your throat slit? Your heart stabbed? Ah, I know, I have the perfect idea." Raphael grabbed the wounded Donovan and stabbed his left eye. Donovan shrieked in anguish. "Hopefully Hell will have more in store for you when I send you down. Tell them Raphael Sorel sends his regards." Raphael pierced Soul Edge into Donovan's other eye. He was met by another scream.  
As Raphael dragged his rapier torturously slowly across Donovan's exposed throat, he whispered, "Coup...de grace."  
Raphael adjusted his lapels, and stalked off, leaving a mass of blood behind him and some revenge gathered.  
  
The next on the list was a Fabian Sorel. Raphael remembered him well. He was a cousin, though not a particularly good one. His paternal side, thought Raphael grimly. He had cut ties with all of them, now he was going to stamp them out, one by one. He remembered being bullied all the time by Fabian, and that only served as fuel to burn the fire blazing away in his heart. Fabian was a good fencer though, one of the only things they had in common. Raphael hoped he could have an easy kill. He didn't want a rapier to touch his cousin's hands.  
His hopes were dashed, however, when he realized he had arrived just after his cousin's fencing lessons (he was the instructor). To make things worse, Fabian was wearing a fencing mask and still practising fencing maneuvers.  
When Raphael smashed the window with the hilt of Soul Edge, he cared not for pleasantries. Yelling "En garde!", Raphael swooped down upon Fabian. Unfortunately for him, his cousin's reflexes were fast enough, and the fencer narrowly avoided the killing thrust. Raphael whirled his blade in challenge.  
His cousin's face was masked by fear and it fed Raphael. Fabian knew why he was here; all the nobles had been in on the decimation of the clan, only he had expected Emmanuel to do a better job.  
Fabian spared no time with words and tried escaping but Raphael was on him in a flash. "Going somewhere? I don't think so..." Raphael sent a wicked roundhouse kick to Fabian's temple and his cousin dropped like a stone. Raphael plucked Fabian from the ground and threw him into a table, which splintered wildly under his weight. Raphael tried to push his advantage, but Fabian had rolled away, clutching his rapier firmly.  
"Prepare yourself!" There was a wild clatter of blades, as Soul Edge entangled with the ordinary rapier that Fabian was holding. He felt a paroxysm of pain sweep up his arm, his bones tingling from the blow. Raphael laughed coldly and mirthlessly, as he pulled his rapier gently out from the entanglement of weapons. "Really, Fabian, I expected you to be better." he mocked his cousin, as Fabian lunged at Raphael. Raphael easily turned his head and slashed along Fabian's back.  
"I would enjoy seeing you die...only that...I've got more...appointments to see to." Raphael taunted Fabian mercilessly, causing only the tiniest of wounds to prolong the stench of death. Finally, Raphael had enough. He tangled Fabian's weapon with his, then, using a twist of Soul Edge, sent the rapier lodging in the ceiling. Fabian's eyes widened with fear as Raphael leapt, grabbing the rapier in the ceiling for extra momentum, before throwing his legs towards Fabian's head. As Raphael's boots finally steadied themselves upon the ground, he realized he had achieved his desired effect. He was standing in a twisted mess of flimsy wire, and a blood-drenched head.  
Raphael pulled his boot delicately out and hauled himself out the window, before marching off to his next victim.  
  
It had been a long night for Raphael, but when it was finally done, Raphael basked in the glory of his accomplishment. Thirty-four people to kill was almost an easy task, especially his parents. He had enjoyed watching them squirm, while he laughed. The law enforcement team were so pathetic. They hadn't even figured out who the killer was. Raphael snorted and patted his horse. He started to ride off in the direction of Le Havre, Rouen's harbour. His purpose? Why, yes, everyone had to have a purpose, or he would be just a worthless shell. His purpose was at Soul Edge's request. To destroy Soul Calibur, once and for all. 


	9. Locked wills

Chapter 9  
  
With Amy gone, he felt insurmountable paroxysms of pain overcome him. Yet he knew the only thing he could do now was to destroy Soul Calibur. He had become possessed by Soul Edge. Soul Edge had asserted its authority over him, filling him up to the brim with power. He remembered, in some distant corner of his mind, his vow. What he knew now, not remembered, was that the vow was broken. He had wanted it to be broken, but all the time, in all his waking moments, he felt regret. If he had somehow arrived earlier, Amy...his thoughts broke off at this point. Raphael had fulfilled his vengeance vow, at least.  
Now, he needed to find Xianghua...and...and then what? He searched Soul Edge for an answer. He would not believe it, after seeing what had happened to Siegfried, but would weigh Soul Edge's words carefully. He needed some dutiful sense of purpose. NO! something rose up within him, an intense fire, burning with determination. It was Raphael Sorel's soul itself. Raphael would not be claimed. And so the soul, locked in some mortal combat with the demon residing in Soul Edge, fought. The soul and Soul Edge was equally matched; Raphael's will was strong, powerfully so. He wanted to destroy Soul Edge now. He would bring an end to all evil. But Soul Edge had will of its own. It wanted to rule the world, yet as Raphael wanted to let go of it, he could not. He was now in an emotionally weak state, frail enough to just grip his will and soul with bare fingertips. Soul Edge still exerted some control over his will. The second reason was for a noble cause. He wanted to rid the world of Soul Edge's existence, to bring peace, and the only way was to find a way to destroy the evil sword, forever! Raphael put great emphasis on it, but he needed to get over it.  
Soul Edge was contented in itself. It somehow knew Xianghua would find Raphael, and with the strength of Soul Edge and the confidence of Raphael Sorel, Soul Calibur would be eradicated from the Earth. Raphael was the hold. He restrained Soul Edge, and repelled Soul Calibur. It was exceedingly tough for Raphael to realize the future of the world depended on him. The only way for him to complete his goal was to get over Amy. And time was ticking away, like trying to hold water in cupped hands. Raphael could not get over his grief. The wound was still searing his heart.  
Xianghua didn't know! thought Raphael. If only she could leave him alone...she didn't realize! Raphael armed with Soul Edge could destroy Soul Calibur. If Soul Edge ever caught him asleep...it was a gargantuan risk.  
Raphael rode, trying to let the hooves of the horse muffle his weary thoughts. He was wandering aimlessly. Soul Edge shared his mind, like some kind of parasite. And all the time it was urging him incessantly to destroy Soul Calibur. Raphael took no heed of its lies. Soon, Raphael came to a stream. His tongue parched, his lips cracked, Raphael dismounted and lowered himself to the stream. He allowed the cool water to drench his mouth, filling him with a sort of freshness. When he stood up, erect, he noted his reflection in the water. He seemed gaunt and stretched. Indeed I should look that way, thought Raphael grimly as he put a leg over his steed.  
He started his journey again. Raphael decided to go to Ostrheinsburg. He would cleanse his sins there, where he had received the sword. Now, all he needed was to hold on a few days, battling the waves of disapproval from Soul Edge. 


	10. Chasing darkness

---Oops! Apologies to all the anonymous reviewers...I didn't notice that I had ticked that box. Well...Mousey, Raphael is my fav too...and I believe his slowly turning insane is a key factor...Thanks for the constructive criticism though and praises everyone. DF, I'm pretty sure it's grace. Thank you for pointing that out though. Hopefully you can point out more mistakes. On the issue of making my chapters longer...oui, certainment. For this chapter, you are treated to a 16th century car chase. Dedicated to DF  
  
Chapter 10  
  
"Hey! There he is!" shouted someone. Raphael turned his head towards the source of the sound. It was a law enforcer from Rouen. Seemingly, they had managed to track him down. Raphael cursed and muttered to himself, "Took them long enough." Raphael had only made it to Strasbourg, a French town almost at the border of Germany and France. Soul Edge was urging him to slay them all, forcing his hand to stray down to its hilt. Raphael resisted, and barely managed to curb the bloodthirsty instincts.  
With one sweep of his eyes, he noticed nine riders. "Raphael Sorel! We know of your sins! Turn yourself in!" the one in front, apparently the leader, shouted wildly.  
Raphael flicked his eyes back to the path ahead of him, and dug his heel into his steed's flank. The horse whinnied, rising on its back legs before setting off at a thunderous gallop. He heard random obscenities flung at him from the enforcers, and the sporadic sounds of hooves skittering on the streets. "Get him!" he heard a holler, obviously from the arrogant leader.  
Raphael had grabbed a big head start while the law enforcer was busy trying to persuade him to stop. The French fencer powered forwards, his horse complimenting the rider's determination, and tearing down the streets quickly. Luckily, it was dusk and there weren't many people on the streets, aside from a few bored ones out for a stroll, and the usual tramps and beggars that lined the streets.  
Raphael was putting a lot of distance when suddenly a young girl cut across his path. The head of red hair glinted in the sunlight and gave Raphael that illusion. "A-A-Amy?" he breathed, before the girl's face appeared, frightened at the sudden appearance of a horse at full-speed. Raphael's hopes were crushed and he quickly grabbed his steed's reins, straining furiously to pull them back. The horse rose up, front legs flailing wildly, but the girl was unharmed. She was just a hair's breadth from being trampled. Raphael immediately got off his horse, anxiety filling up within him. He took the little girl's hand and led her off to the side of the street: safety. Knowing his pursuers could catch up quickly, Raphael hurriedly mounted his horse and sent it off at a fast pace again. His pursuers blew past the little girl just moments later, dust billowing everywhere.  
Raphael rounded a curve superbly, staying on the path and maintaining the quick pace. The law enforcers didn't do so well, and only four of them swerved perfectly. One plowed straight into a house. The impact was shattering and he flew into the air and landed hard. The man was very still. The other four who couldn't round the curve with the required traits suffered minor scrapes, but managed to get back on course.  
Raphael's lips curved upwards in a sardonic grin, he was taking a sadistic pleasure in it all. He was perfection, and the law enforcers were bumbling blocks of wood.  
Suddenly, he noticed an enforcer was at his side, slashing out with a rapier. Raphael drew his own. There was a clatter of blades, and a wild shriek. Raphael had smashed a long leg into the man's face, and sent him hurtling into a stall. Only when this had happened did Raphael realized that they were in the marketplace. The clearing was cluttered with stalls and goods. Skill would be an essential part in getting through this without slowing. Which, Raphael Sorel was only too willing to oblige his steed with.  
His horse leapt smoothly over the wooden table which had appeared so suddenly in front of them and kept going, while Raphael grasped tightly onto the reins. As he looked back, he noted that most of the remaining enforcers had chosen to go around it. This slowed them down again, but their horses were sturdily built and robust. They could accelerate to greater speeds with the right pressure. The riders started forcing their horses to go faster, to catch up with Raphael. As soon as one of them got close enough, that enforcer stretched his rapier forward. Raphael used Soul Edge to bat the feeble attempt away. He turned his head forward and listened to the pleasant sound of a rapier falling onto the ground. One enforcer unconscious, one enforcer untangling himself in a stall, and one enforcer unarmed. Things were going very well for Raphael.  
At least, until the unarmed officer threw himself onto Raphael's horse. There was a scuffle as the enforcer struggled to throw Raphael off, and as Raphael tried to get rid of the extra burden at his back. Finally, with a spot of trickery and class, Raphael flipped a leg over to the right, so he was sitting with both legs at one side. Hooking his arm around the reins and mane of the horse, he threw his weight up, his legs flowing in the wide arc to knock the alarmed passenger off the horse. The lawman fell rather awkwardly, tumbling head over tail before he crumpled in a heap. Raphael snorted as he swung the leg over again and stabilized himself.  
On they continued, with no major incident until they reached the end of the town. Raphael had traveled here with Amy before and he knew the layout of the town and what was beyond. Amy...just her name carved a new wound in his heart, tearing it raw and scarred. Raphael shook the pain away. There was a lake next. He would make sure the incompetent French lawmen paid for the distance they fell behind.  
As Raphael neared the lake, he stopped his horse abruptly and gave it a pat on the head. "I'm sorry Dominic, but you can't come any further." Raphael strode to the boat at the edge of the lake and went inside. He spoke quickly to the fisherman who carried out a ferry service. "Mr. Scoville, I request a favour. I'll pay you this"-at this point Raphael opened his hand and a shower of gold coins fell into the fisherman's hand. "All you have to do is give me a ride over to the other side and not return to this side for the day."  
The fisherman's eyes lit up at the mention of gold and quickly nodded in agreement. Raphael settled himself in the boat and the fisherman paddled away. When they were about a quarter through the lake, the lawmen had arrived. As soon as they saw what had happened, they were outraged. They threw obscenities in rapid French towards Raphael, who merely stood up, spread his arms and said, "Ayez un beau jour, messieurs." (Have a nice day, gentlemen.) 


	11. Resolve

This is the final chapter of Raise thy Sword. Thanks all for the good reviews.  
  
Chapter 11  
  
Soul Edge was causing problems. It had made itself more noticeable, shimmering with pure evil. Raphael's resistance was dipping everyday. He felt sure Soul Edge was more eye-catching to lure people to grab it from its imminent doom. After all, he had encountered a small group of bandits trying vainly to snatch Soul Edge. Unfortunately, he had made Soul Edge very, very happy because it had devoured more souls.  
He assumed he had a one-day head start over the enforcers, so he had put them out of his mind a long time ago.  
Raphael dismounted from his horse. Had he gotten over Amy? he didn't know. He was making a gamble. A gamble that could throw him into the abyss of darkness. The gambling stakes were his soul, and the morsel of a chance to destroy Soul Edge. What he knew was this was the time, the time...to end this.  
He hesitated only momentarily, before his boots crunched in the gravel and rubble scattered at the foot of the hill. He began his long climb, wishing the hill was higher. The climb was as difficult as the one he had made earlier. He remembered the scratches he had received. Raphael was not looking forward to it.  
After a few minutes, his fingers were scraped raw, as he made progress up the steep hill. The pain was terrible. The small but many wounds seared like red-hot pokers on his skin. Blood dripped onto the rocks. Somehow, Raphael made it.  
He climbed up onto the largest piece of the ruins of Ostrheinsburg Castle, unsure of what he would see. He had come here to face his destiny after all.  
There stood Nightmare.  
Nightmare moved like an insane animal, lunging towards Raphael, Requiem lifted high to deliver a crushing strike. Raphael dodged to the left, as Requiem blasted the space beside him to oblivion, loose tiles flying into Raphael and Nightmare. "You die, human. Just like your daughter," Nightmare spoke evilly. Raphael felt as though someone had stabbed his heart. The explosion of grief, all over again. "Yes, so it has come to this after all."  
They were like wild demons now, two pairs of eyes gleaming red and malevolently. Raphael darted forward with Soul Edge, causing a shattering impact of blows, while Nightmare defended himself with his gargantuan blade. Nightmare yelled a brutal war-cry, before sweeping his sword under Raphael's legs. Raphael leapt, turning as he did so, to gather force to strike again. Nightmare moved his head, avoiding the thrust from Raphael, before hitting Raphael in the stomach with the flat of a replica Soul Edge. Raphael was catapulted several feet back, where he crashed into the tinted windows. Glass sprayed everywhere as Raphael got up, unsteadily. He ran into the awaiting Nightmare, who misread Raphael's movements. As the possessed knight swung his sword horizontally, Raphael ducked. The sheer force of Nightmare's own blow sent the demon spinning. Raphael took the advantage, the side of his foot connecting with Nightmare's cheek in a perfect roundhouse kick. Nightmare sank slowly to the ground, momentarily stunned, while Raphael forced his blade forward in a powerful thrust. It actually broke Nightmare's breastplate, cracks spreading like a spider web as the former wielder of Soul Edge fell backwards. Nightmare got up quickly, and, aware of the presence coming to his right, made a reflex backhand punch, which clipped Raphael's lip. Blood dribbled downwards in a minor wound, and Raphael barely evaded the follow-up, which would have decapitated him. Raphael jumped and landed a splitting kick on Nightmare, bursting the pain limits on his head. Nightmare stumbled back, blood flowing freely down from his forehead. He blinked the blood out of his eyes and swept his sword in a fine arc, before linking the move to a low swipe. Raphael blocked the first blow, before the second one caught him off-guard and downing him. His head hit the tiled floor painfully. Nightmare lifted his heavy sword as Raphael, acting for his life, rolled over his head to smash two feet into Nightmare's chest, and bits and pieces of the armour clattered on the ground. Nightmare oscillated his blade furiously, and Raphael's felt his shoulder, cheek, and stomach open into ugly gashes. Blood-drenched, he performed an unexpected move. He flung himself into Nightmare, and stabbed him repeatedly in the chest, each strike drawing blood. Nightmare kicked upwards, booting Raphael's neck and sending him in a twisting arc. Raphael swiped a damaging hit, while Nightmare stabbed into Raphael's chest.  
Nightmare collapsed, and Raphael wavered for a while, before his body thudded to the ground as well. Blood was forming a pool around them, and both of them, eyes flickering open, saw and felt their cheeks touch blood.  
  
Raphael remembered, from some distant point of his mind, the void. With a last spurt of strength, he rose up, almost miraculously, and staggered towards the swirling mass of colour and electricity. Nightmare squirmed, Soul Edge trying a last, valiant attempt. But the demon was too weak.  
The void waited, as though it knew what was happening. It was at that moment that Raphael Sorel threw Soul Edge into the void, where it was consumed by the whirling mass. There was a tortured scream of agony, as Soul Edge contorted wildly in the void. Nightmare had dissipated, the blood still flowing. Raphael's knees buckled, death starting to take over him. Was he to be in his death throes already? the question flashed through Raphael's mind.  
A shard suddenly zipped out and fastened itself to Raphael's hand. Soul Edge relaxed, believing it would live on. Raphael, darkness clouding his vision, knew what he had to do. A grisly smile on his face, Raphael stepped into the void, just as it closed up, as suddenly as it had appeared.  
  
Raphael Sorel had completed the circle of his life at last. 


End file.
